Monday, April 16, 2012

The RAW Truth Review for 4/16/12

Fish and Chips? How Delightful!
WWE Title match to open the show. Mark Henry doesn't even get an entrance for a WWE Title match? Yeah, we know who is winning here. Henry started by tossing Punk into the corner and hitting a head butt. Punk hit some kicks but Henry dropped Punk to the mat. Henry went outside, but Punk went back in the ring and hit a suicide dive. Henry regained control and tossed Punk into the apron. Henry charged at Punk twice but caught two Punk boots. Punk then ran the guard rail and took out Henry. Punk tried picking Henry up but Henry ran Punk into the guard rail. Punk fought back with kicks. Henry caught Punk diving from the apron and tossed Punk into the barricade.
Back from commercial Henry had Punk in a headlock. Punk fought out but ate a clothesline. Punk dropped Henry's head on the ropes then went to get a chair. He it Henry in the gut then on the back with the chair for a two count. Punk went to the chair again but ate a kick in the gut. Henry grabbed the chair and hit Punk in the back. Henry set the chair up in the corner but Punk fought back with punches, but then Henry delivered another clothesline. Henry applied a bear hug. Punk fought out with elbows, then a chop block and DDT for two. Punk went to the top but Henry caught him. Punk countered a World's Strongest Slam with a kick to the head, then a running high knee. But Henry countered the bulldog attempt. Henry charged at Punk, but Punk moved and Henry ran right into the chair set up in the corner. Punk went to the top with the chair and hit the Macho Man elbow with the chair hitting Henry and picked up the pinfall victory.

After the match, Chris Jericho appeared on screen at a bar. Jericho said that he has a WWE Title match at Extreme Rules in a Chicago Street Fight. Punk said that this is now about kicking Jericho's ass in front of his friends and family in Chicago. Jericho asked Punk to show up to Extreme Rules sober. Jericho said he knew what Punk was doing today. He showed footage of Punk walking into a pub. Punk said he can't walk into a pub and enjoy fish and chips with a friend? Jericho asked if those excuses started with his dad. Jericho said Punk wants to be surrounded by alcohol now. Jericho said Punk has lost everything, and at Extreme Rules he loses his WWE Championship.

Segment Analysis: First off, that was a good TV match between Punk and Henry. Henry is good in his role as a big man and Punk can have a good match with pretty much anyone. Good opening. The after angle furthers the story between Jericho and Punk heading into Extreme Rules. It was better than last week. Good start to the show. Survey Says: 3.5/5

R-Truth was backstaged dressed as Sherlock Holmes and told Teddy Long he would find him a job.

From Good to Bad
Santino came out wearing a bunch of soccer jerseys. Only the England one was cheered. Otunga started with a bodyslam. Santino fought back with punches. He did his split but Otunga read it and hit a kick. Otunga hit his slam. The ref counted three but saw Santino's foot on the ropes. Santino hit a hip toss then a diving head butt and Cobra for the win.

Segment Analysis: That was an ugly match. Too short to mean anything, but the timing was off and they kept to the basics. All of it adds to the storyline because the referee clearly counted three before he saw the foot on the ropes. Survey Says: 1.5/5

Brock Lesnar interview. He talked about being an ass kicker and how badly the WWE wanted him. He proved all of his doubters wrong in UFC. He said he came back for business and to legitamize the WWE. He said had he not left, Cena would be carrying Brock's bags into the building. He said piss is running down Cena's leg and he shits his pants everytime he sees Brock. His only objective at Extreme Rules is bringing the pain to John Cena. Brock said beating people up is what makes him happy. That was a very good promo and stuff the WWE should try to do more often.

Kane was suppose to fight Zack Ryder. Before the match started, Kane booted Ryder off the apron, ran him into the anounce table then chokeslammed him in the ring. Kane said he expected his dad to go down without a fight, but not the Viper, Like father like son. Ryder is a jobber with a shirt now.

No Smiling Cena???
John Cena came out and everything from last week was replayed. Cena said that John Laurinaitis has been the one constant in all of his beatings ever since he became powerful, and he might use that power to end John Cena. Cena said Brock Lesnar stands for destruction, pain and dominance. Cena said at Extreme Rules Lesnar is out to end him. But Cena said at Extreme Rules he will fight and he doesn't care if he is going to take an ass kicking at Extreme Rules, he will fight. John Laurinaitis came out and said it was a new era, and if he wants to fight he will fight. Laurinaitis made an Extreme Rules match for tonight, and announced a contract signing between Lesnar and Cena next week.

Segment Analysis: Hey, at least Cena wasn't smiling. He was serious Cena and wasn't bad. But I do not want this to turn into a face/heel GM storyline. It has been done before and I don't want to see it again. Survey Says: 3/5

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Daniel Bryan took down Kofi early, but Kofi caught him with a kick. Bryan caught Kofi with a dropkick in the corner then a knee drop. Bryan hit a knee to the gut. Bryan applied an arm lock which Kofi fought out of. Bryan tossed Kofi to the outside, but Kofi ducked a knee and hit a springboard crossbody heading into commercial. Back from break Bryan tossed Kofi into the corner. Bryan stood on Kofi's neck. Bryan hit some kicks to the chest and back. Bryan applied a chinlock. Kofi fought out and landed some kicks of his own, then a dropkick and clothesline. He hit the Boom Drop. Kofi missed Trouble in Paradise, then countered a YES Lock into a SOS for two. Kofi hit his corner kick. But Bryan then knocked him down. Kofi head butted Bryan off but Kofi missed a dive and locked in the YES Lock for the win. Bryan re-applied the hold after. Sheamus came out and Bryan ducked a Brogue Kick attempt and left.

Segment Analysis: Good little TV match. Something has to be done with Bryan. The WWE needs to find a way to either capitalize on these chants or try to make them go away. They also need to find something to do with Kofi, because he may be the most stale character the WWE has had in quite some time. But both men know how to work, and the match was good. Survey Says: 3/5

Dolph Ziggler vs Brodus Clay. Ziggler hit a dropkick but Clay then caught him and hit a backdrop. Jack Swagger interfered. The match was thrown out. Vickie was knocked down by one of the dancers.

A In Memory of Chief Jay Strongbow video package was shown.

Primo & Epico were jobbed out to Big Show and Great Khali while A.W., also known as Abraham Washington, watched on.

Cena, Gonna Job???
Cena came out for his match. John Laurinaitis introduced his opponent, Lord Tensai. The two exchanged punches. Cena blocked a suplex and suplexed Tensai, but Tensai got right back up and clotheslined Cena. Tensai splashed Cena in the corner. Cena went to the outside and Tensai landed some kicks. Tensai tossed Cena into the steps. Cena backdroped Tensai on the floor, then hit Tensai with the steps. Tensai's handler hit some kicks on Cena on the outside and Otunga then tossed him back in. Tensai applied a nerve hold in the ring. Cena fought out and went for an Attitude Adjustment, but Tensai countered with a clothesline. Tensai charged Cena in the corner but Cena moved. Tensai stopped CENA MODE with a chop, then did his sit down splash on Cena. Cena countered an armbar into the STF. Otunga interfered and ate an AA. Tensai spit the green mist in Cena's eyes and hit a sit down power bomb for the win.

Segment Analysis: The match wasn't anything good, and they still protected Cena, but it was nice to see Lord Tensai go over. I'm dreading, however, where this Cena vs GM storyline is going. I don't want another one of these things. It isn't necessary. Ok ending to the show. Survey Says: 3/5

OVERALL
I would say this was a slightly above average RAW. The Punk/Henry match was a good way to start, and Kofi/Bryan wasn't bad either. Cena wasn't stupid corny Cena tonight which means he was tolerable. The Brock Lesnar interview was very good and something the WWE should consider doing more often. Lesnar came off as a bad ass and it helped define his character. Most of the filler was bad though and that dragged down the show a bit. Tensai going over at the end, no matter how, is good and I'm glad to see he wasn't jobbed out to Cena. But as I've already said, I do not want to see another Face vs Heel GM storyline. Its been done too many times, and nothing will ever come close to Austin/McMahon ever again. I'm giving the show a 6.

I will have an NFL Mock Draft up this week.

And remember kids, going into a pub to get fish and chips in America will most likely result in an ass kicking. Order a beer and be happy.